The Exorcist: Difference between revisions

** [[Exorcist Head]]

* [[Adult Fear]]: Father Karras is deeply depressed about choosing a life of poverty instead of becoming a rich doctor - and both his uncle ''and'' mother give him a [[What the Hell, Hero?]] about it. Made worse that he can't afford to give his mother proper health care when she goes insane, and she dies alone in her squalid apartment. Pazuzu exploits this fully.

** This is why Friedkin originally cut out the spider-walk scene. He knew that if the audience spent the whole movie wondering if/when Regan was going to leave the bedroom and attack somebody, it would distract from the drama unfolding outside. That's right: a scene where a demon-possessed [[Creepy Child]] walks backwards down a staircase and vomits blood was cut out because it was ''less scary'' than a mother's agony over her child's well-being.

*** The spider-walk scene in the book is less terrifying at first than completely, inhumanly ''alien''. Blatty's description doesn't sink in for a minute. [[Fridge Horror|Then it hits you]].

* [[Affectionate Parody]]: ''[[Repossessed]]'', starring Leslie Nielsen and Linda Blair [[Adam Westing]].

** Special mention must go to the shot where Ellen Burstyn is "thrown" by Regan across the room and her back hits the tallboy. Burstyn to be forcibly thrown and dragged with a wire harness, giving her a spinal injury that's plagued her her whole life. Her scream of pain is real.

** The ''real'' reason Father Dyer is shaking while he's administering last rites to {{spoiler|Father Karras}} is because William Friedkin slapped him just before the take.

* [[Evil Sounds Deep]]: A twelve-year-old girl should not sound like Mercedes McCambridge.

* [[Evil Plan]]: ''The Exorcist'' is {{spoiler|Pazuzu's revenge on Fr. Merrin for evicting him from a child in Africa.}}

* [[Fake-Out Opening]]: The movie begins with an archeological dig.

* [[Film of the Book]]

* [[Groin Attack]]: Self-inflicted (sort of), with a crucifix, as Regan uses it as a dildo.

** Regan's attack of the psychiatrist.

* [[Psychic Powers]]: {{spoiler|Regan has them.}}

* [[She's All Grown Up]]: My, how little Regan has grown. Most of the movie has her in some form of revealing clothing. And then there's the tap dancing scene.

 

== The Exorcist III ==

* [[Large Ham]]. ''The Exorcist III'' has George C. Scott in his hammiest role, ever.

{{quote|'''Kinderman:''' Yes, I believe... I believe in death. I believe in '''disease''''. I believe in injustice and inhumanity and torture and anger and hate... I believe in murder. I BELIEVE IN PAIN. I believe in cruelty and infidelity. '''''I believe in slime and stink and every crawling, putrid thing... every possible ugliness and corruption, YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH! I BELIEVE...''''' in you.}}

* {{spoiler|[[Little Dead Riding Hood]]}}

* {{spoiler|[[Mercy Kill]]}}

 

== Exorcist: The Beginning ==

* [[Genre Savvy]]: Merrin's guide expresses apprehension about going into the recently unearthed Byzantine Church because the locals say it is cursed by evil spirits. He dismisses them as superstitious, but when Merrin questions him he says he's "not superstitious. Smart."

* [[Gorn]]